Clipboards are well known in the art. They range in configurations, size and purpose. Some have boxes to store writing utensils but none have a box in combination with a live hinge system to hold paper or any other writeable material.
Numerous innovations for clipboards have been provided in the prior art that are described as follows. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they differ from the present invention as hereinafter contrasted.
In U.S. Pat. No., D388463, titled, Clipboard with padded writing surface, by inventors, Sullins, et. al. In U.S. Pat. No., D379477, titled, Clipboard/storage box, by inventor, Shainoon and in U.S. Pat. No., D255251, titled, Combined portable container and clipboard, by inventors, Hansen, et. al., all exhibit ornamental designs of clipboards lacking a live hinge.
In U.S. Pat. No., 4,105,182, titled, Multiple use study device, by inventor, Jacobson, alcollapsible and portable book stand, formed from a single elongated blank of light weight material, such as cardboard, transversely creased to form a plurality of foldable panels which are adapted to lock into a plurality of positions each of which is adapted for a different purpose such as holding and supporting an opened book in a rearwardly inclined position for ease of viewing, for use as a cover or support, for use as a folder for notepads, a hand-held support for such items as a note or sketch pad, a storage bin for books or like articles, a book rack, a pen-pencil and ruler holder, a lectern, a study carrel, a clipboard easel for typists, a music stand, a projection screen prop or a technical drawing board prop.
In U.S. Pat. No., 5,297,814, titled, Clipboard for teaching children to write correctly, by inventor, Peters, a clipboard which attaches by means of a lip provided on a lower edge of the clipboard to a front edge of a typical school desktop so that the clipboard lies flat against the desktop. The clipboard is provided with an upper area which is tilted either left or right with respect to the front edge of the desktop, the angle of the tilt being that required for proper paper placement for writing and the direction of the tilt being dependent upon whether the clipboard is designed for a right-handed or left-handed student. The upper area is provided with horizontal writing lines and is preferably made of an erasable material so the student can mark directly on it. A clip is provided for securing paper to the clipboard. A number line and an alphabet are also provided on the clipboard, with each numeral and each letter being provided with a dot and one or more arrows to indicate proper initial placement and proper movement of a writing instrument to correctly make the numeral or letter.
In U.S. Pat. No., 5,253,943, titled, Plastic clipboard having elastic engaging pins, by inventor, Miyashita, a clipboard for holding worksheets is disclosed, which is a plastic rectangular board bent into a largely inverted U-shaped cross-section having a vertical front board, an also vertical backside board that is larger in length than the front board, and a horizontal top roof member between the front and backside boards. A book of worksheets is clamped between the front and backside boards below the roof member. A hook for hanging the clipboard is centrally fixed in the roof member and having means t orient the clamped worksheets in two alternative different vertical planes perpendicular to each other. A pair of bosses centrally mounted in the backside board and each having at a front end thereof a downwardly inclined end face for engagement with a pair of apertures formed in the front board through a pair of holes in an upper margin of each worksheet clamped.
In U.S. Pat. No., 5,732,925, titled, Clipboard with art supply container, by inventor, Shamoon, a combination of a clipboard and art supply container is provided. The clipboard includes a board and a clip attached to the board. The clip is specially constructed and adapted to removably hold the art supply container. Multiple art supply containers may be furnished containing different art supply media
In U.S. Pat. No., 4892334, titled, Portable clipboard and storage box , by inventor, Sinclair, a portable clipboard includes an integral storage box for transporting various accessories such as pens, pencils, erasers, rulers, calculators, etc. The writing surface of the clipboard is provided with a spring retaining clip for securing papers and is mounted by a hinge to a shallow rectangular box. In a second embodiment, a battery operated light is secured by a flexible stem on the upper surface of the clipboard and a digital clock is also provided.
In U.S. Pat. No., 3,977,744, titled, Posse box report clip board, by inventor, DeWitt, a combination two-compartment clip board for containing report forms and reports and providing a writing surface for preparing reports is disclosed.
In U.S. Pat. No., 5,441,228, titled, Document holding and display device, by inventor, Geborek, a document holding and displaying apparatus which holds a plurality of documents and displays one of the documents. The apparatus includes a first support member which is generally of the same size of the documents, to which the documents are secured at a first edge by a spring biased clip. A second support member is hinged adjacent a first edge to the first support member adjacent to its first edge. Documents on top of the document to be displayed are folded over a second edge of the second support member which is one half the length of the first support member. The edges of the first and second support members perpendicular to the first edges are provided with inwardly facing channels for retaining the edges of the documents.
In U.S. Pat. No., 5,145,141, titled, Clipboard, by inventor, Hunter, a clipboard adapted for multi-functional use is disclosed. The clipboard includes a pair of panel-like members which are releasably joined to one another to form an assembly. The panel-like members are separable one from another whereby a sheet of paper having information printed thereon may be inserted between the panel members to be interposed therebetween. One or both of the panel members is fabricated from a transparent material which permits the user to view the information on the sheet of paper through the panel member itself. A conventional clip assembly is mounted on one or both of the panels to releasably retain a sheet of paper atop one of the panels whereby the user may either read or write on the paper utilizing the -underlying panel as a writing surface.
In U.S. Pat. No., 5,324,076, titled, Clip board with storage drawer, by inventor, Nieradka, a portable clipboard is provided for use by medical professionals with a latching, pullout drawer with an integral storage area for prescription pads, medical forms and writing implements. The top surface incorporates a clip to secure documents and the pullout drawer can be moved to the open position while maintaining the top surface in position for writing.
In U.S. Pat. No., 5312082, titled, Clipboard having a whistle integrally formed therewith, by inventor, Chang, a clipboard includes a backing board on which a clip member is mounted pivotally, a torsional spring unit arranged between the backing board and the clip member so as to bias one end of the clip member to abut against the backing board, and a whistle formed integrally with the clip member.
Numerous innovations for clipboards have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.